A biotech eggplant variety can now be cultivated commercially in the Philippines, which help reduce or remove the use of pesticides by farmers to combat the dreaded eggplant plant and shoot borer (EFSB).
John Albert Caraan, UPLB College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS) Institute of Plant Breeding Project Development officer, said the regulatory approval came after strict and comprehensive biosafety evaluations conducted by the joint assessment group from the Competent National Authorities-Biosafety Committees and the certification of the Event EE-1 as a plant incorporated protectant by the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, an agency under the Agriculture department.
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He said ex-ante socioeconomic studies also conducted in the country estimated that the cultivation of Bt eggplants will incur lower production costs and ultimately lead to up to a three-fold higher net farm incomes from the combined effects of significantly reduced pesticide use and increased marketable fruit yields.
“With this landmark regulatory milestone, the Philippines becomes the second country in the world, after Bangladesh, to allow the commercial propagation of borer-resistant Bt eggplant,” Caraan added.
